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After delays, American offers fliers double miles

DALLAS — American Airlines is offering double-mile promotions as a way of apologizing for recent delays and cancellations.

The airline announced the offer under its AAdvantage program on Friday. One will run through Dec. 31, the other around Thanksgiving.

“Our recent operating performance was not up to our standards … and for that, we are deeply sorry,” Suzanne L. Rubin, president of the airline’s AAdvantage frequent-flier program, said in a message to customers.

In September, American canceled nearly 1,400 flights, and only 59 percent of its flights arrived on time compared with at least 85 percent at rivals Delta, Southwest and US Airways, according to tracking service FlightStats.com. The airline, which imposed pay and benefit cuts for pilots in early September, accused some pilots of conducting an illegal work slowdown.

American announced two offers:

Elite-level customers, who start at 25,000 miles in a year, will get double miles through Dec. 31.

Other passengers will get double miles from Nov. 16 through Nov. 26.

Both groups can get double credit toward elite status on flights through the end of the year.

The offers cover flights on American and regional affiliates American Eagle and American Connection but not flights operated by so-called code-sharing partner airlines.

American and parent AMR Corp. filed for bankruptcy protection in November 2011.